12 Dogs of Christmas

Once again, this Christmas will see the team at Dogs Trust Leeds giving dogs that have found themselves without a home, the best Christmas possible whilst they wait for their special someone.

The charity’s slogan, ‘A Dog is for life, not just for Christmas’ is as relevant today as it was when it was first adopted almost 40 years ago, as sadly each year hundreds of dogs are handed over to the team at the York Road rehoming centre. The staff look after strays, smuggled puppies and of course dogs who have had to leave their families for a variety of reasons, from illness in the family to relationship breakdown or a change in working hours.

Whilst at Dogs Trust Leeds, every dog is given everything they need but they all have their paws crossed in the hope of finding a forever family once more.

In the run-up to Christmas we will be featuring four dogs each week who are hoping to have found a space on the sofa in their ideal homes in time for Christmas Day.

Poor Tufty was found wandering the streets and had an open wound to her leg. Although her physical wound has healed perfectly, it has taken staff several weeks of patience and TLC to get her to leave her kennel and enjoy a run around.

She is enjoying sprinting around at the centre so would love a secure garden in her new forever home but would benefit from a quiet adult only home so she can build confidence and trust with her new owners.

Once Tufty knows you she is full of affection and is very playful. All she needs is someone special to give her a second chance.

The team understand him to be a Collie/Spaniel/Staffordshire Bull Terrier Cross so he likes to be kept busy! He loves to be out and about exploring the big wide world and always takes his favourite toy with him for whenever it’s time to have a game!

He is eager to please and enjoys his training when the mood takes him – usually after he has had a good play to burn off some energy!

Buckley would love to be the only pet in an adult home so he can lap up all the attention.

Sparky still has lots of spark about him despite being a golden oldie!

He is a friendly, gentle Older Age Pooch who loves his toys and knows all his basic doggie commands. But he’d definitely be enthusiastic about his new owners teaching this older dog new tricks! He enjoys a walk and walks well on the lead, then is happy to be left home alone for a while to enjoy a snooze.

He is fine with other dogs but as an older gent would like to be the only dog in the home and could live with teenage children.

Cherry is an absolutely beautiful girl and clever too! She loves learning new things and as well as knowing all the basics, one of her best tricks is running behind an indoor gate and closing it if the doorbell goes!

She is really playful and very loving when she gets to know you but she lacks a little confidence so is looking for patient owners who are happy taking the time to get to know her. It will be worth it!

She would thrive in a quiet adult only home as the only pet. She has such great potential and just needs the opportunity to fulfill it.

If you think you could offer any of these dogs their ideal homes, please call the centre on 0300 303 0292 or visit them at Woodlands Farm, York Road, Leeds, LS15 4NL. The Rehoming Centre is open Friday-Monday 12pm-4pm and 12pm-7.30pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It is closed on Wednesdays. You can also find out more about all of the dogs, and watch videos of them, at www.dogstrust.org.uk